Quick Answer
Figurative Language on the Digital SAT refers to words or phrases used beyond their literal definitions to create specific effects. Typically appearing in the Craft and Structure domain, these devices help authors convey tone or complex ideas. Students encounter these most frequently in literary prose and poetry passages throughout both Reading and Writing modules.
Figurative language is the use of words in non-literal ways to achieve a stylistic or rhetorical effect, such as through comparisons or exaggerations. It functions by deviating from standard denotations to imply deeper meanings or emotional resonances through devices like metaphors and similes.
Question: In a poem, the author describes the fog as 'creeping on cat feet.' What is the primary purpose of this figurative language? (A) To suggest the fog is a physical animal. (B) To emphasize the silent and subtle movement of the weather. (C) To indicate the presence of pets. (D) To show the fog is dangerous. Solution: (B). The metaphor compares the fog's movement to a cat's stealthy gait to highlight its quiet nature, rather than suggesting a literal animal presence.
Literalism: Treating metaphors or idioms as factual statements, leading to incorrect inferences about the physical reality of the passage.
Misidentifying Tone: Confusing hyperbole with literal urgency or irony with simple disagreement, which skews the interpretation of the author's attitude.
Over-analysis: Assigning profound symbolic meaning to every adjective when the SAT often seeks the most direct figurative interpretation supported by the text.
Students targeting 750+ should know that the Digital SAT often uses figurative language in 'Words in Context' questions where the correct answer choice is a literal synonym that captures the non-literal intent of the original phrase.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration used for rhetorical emphasis rather than literal truth. On the Digital SAT, this figurative device typically appears in the Reading and Writing section, specifically within Craft and Structure questions. It is a frequent tool in literary passages used to establish a character's intense emotional state or tone.
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary device that compares two unrelated things by stating one is the other. On the Digital SAT, metaphors frequently appear in the Reading and Writing section, particularly within 'Words in Context' or 'Craft and Structure' questions. Students typically encounter these figures of speech in literary prose and poetry passages.
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Analogy
An analogy is a comparison between two seemingly different things to highlight a shared characteristic. On the Digital SAT, analogies typically appear within the Reading and Writing section, specifically in 'Rhetorical Synthesis' or 'Craft and Structure' questions. Students must often identify how an author uses an analogy to clarify a complex scientific or literary concept.